Bark.—Bark of trunk in old trees gray and coarsely ridged, in young trees smooth; twigs smooth, olive.
Leaves.—Leaves simple, alternate, 2-4 inches long, silky-hairy on both sides when young, when old still retaining more or less pubescence, especially on the paler under surface; outline narrowly lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, glandular-serrate, tapering to a long pointed apex and to an acute base; leafstalk short, usually without glands; stipules ovate-lanceolate, soon falling.
Note.—Var. vitellina, Koch., by far the most common form of this willow; mature leaves glabrous above; twigs yellow. Var. cærulea, Koch.; mature leaves bluish-green, glabrous above, glaucous beneath; twigs olive.
Inflorescence.—April to May. Catkins appearing with the leaves, slender, erect, stalked; scales linear; stamens 2; filaments distinct, hairy below the middle; stigma nearly sessile, deeply cleft; capsule glabrous, sessile or nearly so.
Horticultural Value.—Hardy throughout New England; grows best in moist localities; extensively cultivated to bind the soil along the banks of streams. Easily propagated from slips.
JUGLANDACEÆ. WALNUT FAMILY.
Juglans cinerea, L.
Butternut. Oilnut. Lemon Walnut.
Habitat and Range.—Roadsides, rich woods, river valleys, fertile, moist hillsides, high up on mountain slopes.